Carrot Cake

 Cake:

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces/354 grams)

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon table salt

1 pound (454 grams) medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled

1 ½ cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces/298 grams)

½ cup light brown sugar packed

4 large eggs

1 ½ cups vegetable oil or safflower, or canola oil

 Frosting:

8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, softened but still cool

1 cup powdered sugar (4 ounces/113 grams)

1 cup heavy cream, cold

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment and spray parchment.

 

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.

 

3. In food processor fitted with large shredding disk, shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Wipe out food processor workbowl and fit with metal blade. Process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. With machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream. Process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. Scrape mixture into medium bowl. Stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

 

4. FOR THE FROSTING: When cake is cool, beat cream cheese on medium speed, in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add powdered sugar. Starting on low speed, slowly mix in powdered sugar. Once incorporated, scrape down the bowl and add the cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the cream. Increase speed gradually so it doesn’t splash until high speed. Whip on high speed until thickened like whipped cream.

 

5. Run paring knife around edge of cake to loosen from pan. Invert cake onto wire rack, peel off parchment, then invert again onto serving platter. Using icing spatula, spread frosting evenly over surface of cake. Cut into squares and serve. (Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)